undine-第18节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


the　eyes　of　all　were　involuntarily　turned　in　that　direction；　and　if
it　was　nothing　but　the　butler　with　new　dishes；　or　the　cup…bearer
with　a　flask　of　still　richer　wine；　they　would　look　down　again　sadly；
and　the　flashes　of　wit　and　merriment　which　had　passed　to　and　fro；
would　be　extinguished　by　sad　remembrances。　The　bride　was　the　most
thoughtless　of　all；　and　therefore　the　most　happy；　but　even　to　her　it
sometimes　seemed　strange　that　she　should　be　sitting　at　the　head　of
the　table；　wearing　a　green　wreath　and　gold…embroidered　attire；　while
Undine　was　lying　at　the　bottom　of　the　Danube；　a　cold　and　stiff
corpse；　or　floating　away　with　the　current　into　the　mighty　ocean。
For；　ever　since　her　father　had　spoken　of　something　of　the　sort；　his
words　were　ever　ringing　in　her　ear；　and　this　day　especially　they
were　not　inclined　to　give　place　to　other　thoughts。

The　company　dispersed　early　in　the　evening；　not　broken　up　by　the
bridegroom　himself；　but　sadly　and　gloomily　by　the　joyless　mood　of
the　guests　and　their　forebodings　of　evil。　Bertalda　retired　with　her
maidens；　and　the　knight　with　his　attendants；　but　at　this　mournful
festival　there　was　no　gay；　laughing　train　of　bridesmaids　and
bridesmen。

Bertalda　wished　to　arouse　more　cheerful　thoughts；　she　ordered　a
splendid　ornament　of　jewels　which　Huldbrand　had　given　her；　together
with　rich　apparel　and　veils；　to　be　spread　out　before　her；　in　order
that　from　these　latter　she　might　select　the　brightest　and　most
beautiful　for　her　morning　attire。　Her　attendants　were　delighted　at
the　opportunity　of　expressing　their　good　wishes　to　their　young
mistress；　not　failing　at　the　same　time　to　extol　the　beauty　of　the
bride　in　the　most　lively　terms。　They　were　more　and　more　absorbed　in
these　considerations；　till　Bertalda　at　length；　looking　in　a　mirror；
said　with　a　sigh：　〃Ah；　but　don't　you　see　plainly　how　freckled　I　am
growing　here　at　the　side　of　my　neck？〃

They　looked　at　her　throat；　and　found　the　freckles　as　their　fair
mistress　had　said；　but　they　called　them　beauty…spots；　and　mere　tiny
blemishes　only；　tending　to　enhance　the　whiteness　of　her　delicate
skin。　Bertalda　shook　her　head　and　asserted　that　a　spot　was　always　a
defect。

〃And　I　could　remove　them；〃　she　sighed　a　last；　〃only　the　fountain　is
closed　from　which　I　used　to　have　that　precious　and　purifying　water。
Oh！　if　I　had　but　a　flask　of　it　to…day！〃

〃Is　that　all？　〃said　an　alert　waiting…maid；　laughing；　as　she　slipped
from　the　apartment。

〃She　will　not　be　mad；〃　exclaimed　Bertalda；　in　a　pleased　and
surprised　tone；　〃she　will　not　be　so　mad　as　to　have　the　stone　removed
from　the　fountain　this　very　evening！〃　At　the　same　moment　they　heard
the　men　crossing　the　courtyard；　and　could　see　from　the　window　how
the　officious　waiting…woman　was　leading　them　straight　up　to　the
fountain；　and　that　they　were　carrying　levers　and　other　instruments
on　their　shoulders。　〃It　is　certainly　my　will；〃　said　Bertalda；
smiling；　〃if　only　it　does　not　take　too　long。〃　And；　happy　in　the
sense　that　a　look　from　her　now　was　able　to　effect　what　had　formerly
been　so　painfully　refused　her；　she　watched　the　progress　of　the　work
in　the　moonlit　castle…court。

The　men　raised　the　enormous　stone　with　an　effort；　now　and　then
indeed　one　of　their　number　would　sigh；　as　he　remembered　that　they
were　destroying　the　work　of　their　former　beloved　mistress。　But　the
labor　was　far　lighter　than　they　had　imagined。　It　seemed　as　if　a
power　within　the　spring　itself　were　aiding　them　in　raising　the
stone。

〃It　is　just；〃　said　the　workmen　to　each　other　in　astonishment；　〃as　if
the　water　within　had　become　a　springing　fountain。〃　And　the　stone
rose　higher　and　higher；　and　almost　without　the　assistance　of　the
workmen；　it　rolled　slowly　down　upon　the　pavement　with　a　hollow
sound。　But　from　the　opening　of　the　fountain　there　rose　solemnly　a
white　column　of　water；　at　first　they　imagined　it　had　really　become　a
springing　fountain；　till　they　perceived　that　the　rising　form　was　a
pale　female　figure　veiled　in　white。　She　was　weeping　bitterly；
raising　her　hands　wailingly　above　her　head　and　wringing　them；　as　she
walked　with　a　slow　and　serious　step　to　the　castle…building。　The
servants　fled　from　the　spring；　the　bride；　pale　and　stiff　with
horror；　stood　at　the　window　with　her　attendants。　When　the　figure　had
now　come　close　beneath　her　room；　it　looked　moaningly　up　to　her；　and
Bertalda　thought　she　could　recognize　beneath　the　veil　the　pale
features　of　Undine。　But　the　sorrowing　form　passed　on；　sad；
reluctant；　and　faltering；　as　if　passing　to　execution。

Bertalda　screamed　out　that　the　knight　was　to　be　called；　but　none　of
her　maids　ventured　from　the　spot；　and　even　the　bride　herself　became
mute；　as　if　trembling　at　her　own　voice。

While　they　were　still　standing　fearfully　at　the　window；　motionless
as　statues；　the　strange　wanderer　had　reached　the　castle；　had　passed
up　the　well…known　stairs；　and　through　the　well…known　halls；　ever　in
silent　tears。　Alas！　how　differently　had　she　once　wandered　through
them！

The　knight；　partly　undressed；　had　already　dismissed　his　attendants；
and　in　a　mood　of　deep　dejection　he　was　standing　before　a　large
mirror；　a　taper　was　burning　dimly　beside　him。　There　was　a　gentle　tap
at　his　door。　Undine　used　to　tap　thus　when　she　wanted　playfully　to
tease　him　〃It　is　all　fancy；〃　said　he　to　himself；　〃I　must　seek　my
nuptial　bed。〃

〃So　you　must；　but　it　must　be　a　cold　one！〃　he　heard　a　tearful　voice
say　from　without；　and　then　he　saw　in　the　mirror　his　door　opening
slowlyslowlyand　the　white　figure　entered；　carefully　closing　it
behind　her。　〃They　have　opened　the　spring；〃　said　she　softly；　〃and　now
I　am　here；　and　you　must　die。〃

He　felt　in　his　paralyzed　heart　that　it　could　not　be　otherwise；　but
covering　his　eyes　with　his　hands　he　said：　〃Do　not　make　me　mad　with
terror　in　my　hour　of　death。　If　you　wear　a　hideous　face　behind　that
veil；　do　not　raise　it；　but　take　my　life；　and　let　me　see　you　not。〃

〃Alas！〃　replied　the　figure；　〃will　you　then　not　look　upon　me　once
more？　I　am　as　fair　as　when　you　wooed　me　on　the　promontory。〃

〃Oh；　if　it　were　so！〃　sighed　Huldbrand；　〃and　if　I　might　die　in　your
fond　embrace！〃

〃Most　gladly；　my　loved　one；〃　said　she；　and　throwing　her　veil　back；
her　lovely　face　smiled　forth　divinely　beautiful。　Trembling　with　love
and　with　the　approach　of　death；　she　kissed　him　with　a　holy　kiss；　but
not　relaxing　her　hold　she　pressed　him　fervently　to　her；　and　as　if
she　would　weep　away　her　soul。　Tears　rushed　into　the　knight's　eyes；
and　seemed　to　surge　through　his　heaving　breast；　till　at　length　his
breathing　ceased；　and　he　fell　softly　back　from　the　beautiful　arms　of
Undine；　upon　the　pillows　of　his　coucha　corpse。

〃I　have　wept　him　to　death；〃　said　she　to　some　servants　who　met　her　in
the　ante…chamber；　and；　passing　through　the　affrighted　group；　she
went　slowly　out　toward　the　fountain。




CHAPTER　XIX。

HOW　THE　KNIGHT　HULDBRAND　WAS　BURIED。


Father　Heilmann　had　returned　to　the　castle　as　soon　as　the　death　of
the　lord　of　Ringstetten　had　been　made　known　in　the　neighborhood；　and
he　appeared　at　the　very　same　moment　that　the　monk　who　had　married
the　unfortunate　couple　was　fleeing　from　the　gates　overwhelmed　with
fear　and　terror。

〃It　is　well；〃　replied　Heilmann；　when　he　was　informed　of　this；　〃now
my　duties　begin；　and　I　need　no　associate。〃

Upon　this　he　began　to　console　the　bride；　now　a　widow；　small　result
as　it　produced　upon　her　worldly　thoughtless　mind。　The　old　fisherman；
on　the　other　hand；　although　heartily　grieved；　was　far　more　resigned
to　the　fate　which　had　befallen　his　daughter　and　son…in…law；　and
while　Bertalda　could　not　refrain　from　abusing　Undine　as　a　murderess
and　sorceress；　the　old　man　calmly　said：　〃It　could　not　be　otherwise
after　all；　I　see　nothing　in　it　but　the　judgment　of　God；　and　no　one's
heart　has　been　more　deeply　grieved　by　Huldbrand's　death　than　that　of
her　by　whom　it　was　inflictedthe　poor　forsaken　Undine！〃

At　the　same　time　he　assisted　in　arranging　the　funeral　solemnities　as
befitted　the　rank　of　the　deceased。

The　knight　was　to　be　interred　in　the　village　churchyard　which　was
filled　with　the　graves　of　his　ancestors。　And　this　church　had　been
endowed　with　rich　privileges　and　gifts　both　by　these　ancestors　and
by　himself。　His　shield　and　helmet　lay　already　on　the　coffin；　to　be
lowered　with　it　into　the　grave；　for　Sir　Huldbrand；　of　Ringstetten；
had　died　the　last　of　his　race；　the　mourners　began　their　sorrowful
march；　singing　requiems　under　the　bright；　calm　canopy　of　heaven；
Father　Heilmann　walked　in　advance；　bearing　a　high　crucifix；　and　the
inconsolable　Bertalda　followed；　supported　by　her　aged　father。
Suddenly；　in　the　midst　of　the　black…robed　attendants　in　the　widow's
train；　a　snow…white　figure　was　seen；　closely　veiled；　and　wringing
her　hands　with　fervent　sorrow。　Those　near　whom　she　moved　felt　a
secret　dread；　and　retreated　either　backward　or　to　the　side；
increasing　by　their　movements　the　alarm　of　the　others　near　to　whom
the　white　stranger　was　now　advancing；　and　thus　a　confusion　in　the
funeral…train　was　well…nigh　beginning。　Some　of　the　military　escort
were　so　daring　as　to　address　the　figure；　and　to　attempt　to　remove　it
from　the　procession；　but　she　seemed　to　vanish　from　under　their
hands；　and　yet　was　immediately　seen　advancing　again